Annual Teach-In
The concept of a teach-in dates back to the 1960s and they remain a powerful tool for social change. At Berkwood Hedge School it is one of the many ways we engage students in age-appropriate explorations and conversations around social justice and what it means to be a changemaker. A new theme is chosen by the staff every year. For our 21st Annual Teach-In in 2024, the theme was Systems and Cycles.
Morning Presenters
Students heard from presenters like from Jon Grobman from Paws For Life K9 Rescue, who talked about the connection between service dogs and social justice, and Maya Blow, an alum parent and founder of Soul Flower Farm, who talked about sustainable farming and the cycle of planting, cultivation, and harvest on the farm.
Teach-In Workshops
In their workshops, Lower School students explored kelp forests and the transportation system, Yellowstone's ecosystem and the life cycle of paper. They created tote bags from old t-shirts, played insect tag, and learned about reversible and irreversible scientific changes. They learned how to regulate their nervous systems and how specific scents can help us to get a good night's sleep.
Middle school students looked at the cycles of fast fashion and consumerism and the life cycles of cicadas. They explored the narrative cycles of stories, and the systems by which stories spread. They investigated how cycles and systems can be tracked through data, and how ancient Roman views on the environment impact us today. They dove deep into the inner workings of bodies and bicycles, and the cycle of carbon.
Past Teach-In Themes
2022/2023: Water
2021/2022: Touching the Earth
2019/2020: Climate Change-Makers
2018/2019: Journeys
2017/2018: Express Yourself
2016/2017: Money Matters
2015/2016: Change Makers and Up Standers: We All Make a Difference
2014/2015: Geography- An exploration of how geography shapes who we are and how we live
2013/2014: Money: Adding It Up - Money Matters
2012/2013: DIY
2011/2012: Science for Social Change
2010/2011: ABC: Art Builds Community
